What to see in Foshan after furniture shopping? The best tourist spots
Foshan is today a de facto Guangzhou suburb. Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province, the third largest city in China, with a population of over 15 million people. Many customers, coming for furniture tour, spend several days visiting Guangzhou.
Foshan Central Television Nanhai Film Studio (中央电视台南海影视城)
The studio located in the north of Foshan and occupies a huge territory. It’s famous as one of the main CCTV filming locations, it also holds daily live performances (Notice: all shows are in Chinese).
Permanent sets: the palace, Jiangnan water village, Hong Kong in the 60s.
Price: 90 RMB
The time needed: half a day
Address: 佛山市南海区狮山镇影城大道中央电视台南海影视城
Foshan Bruce Lee Park (李小龙乐园）
The park is quite far from Foshan city centre. This park includes not only a museum with photographs from Bruce Lee films, his personal and family photos but also old books on Wing Chun (Kung Fu style, which Bruce Lee and his master Yip Man taught and popularized), Jeet Kune Do and Kung Fu.
Bruce Lee Park dedicated not only to the actor himself but also contains a gigantic well-maintained atmospheric and tranquil garden. You can also visit a small amusement park, a farm and, of course, a giant Bruce Lee statue.
There are bikes for rent inside the park for an extra charge.
The time needed: 3-5 hours
Address: 广东省佛山市顺德区沙浦路李小龙乐园
Better catch a taxi from your location.
Price: 50 RMB
Foshan Shunfeng Mountain Park (顺峰山公园)
If you are in Foshan (Shunde) for work and tired of looking at the factories and breathing polluted urban air, find some time in your schedule for this park.
The main gate is a fundamental creation, bicycles for 1-2-3-4 people are available for rent by the main gate.
The park is very green and well maintained, yet there is almost no place to hide from the sun, so do not forget hats, sunglasses and, if necessary, sunscreen.
There is a beautiful lake surrounded by Chinese-style pavilions in the western part of the park.
Price: free
Address: 佛山市顺德区南国东路与驹荣南路交汇处顺峰山公园
Foshan Ancient Nanfeng Kiln (南风古灶)
This place is worth visiting for several reasons:
- Ancient Nanfeng Kiln shopping area (no entry fee). The shopping area is a few hundred metres long, lined with shops selling all kinds of ceramics, from relatively simple, low-priced to intricate and detailed higher-priced.
- Ancient Nanfeng Kiln Museum (entry fee).
- Guangdong Shiwan Ceramics Museum.
The ancient Nanfeng Kiln was built between 1506 and 1521. The kiln was on ever since, the complex is 34.4 meters long and has 29 lines.
Price: 25 RMB
Business hours: 08:30 - 17:00
Address: 佛山市禅城区高庙路6号南风古灶
The Ancestral Temple in Foshan (祖庙)
This temple is the heart of Foshan current economic and cultural centre. Lavishly decorated temple, local history museum and the memorial of Wing Chun style masters is what you find inside.
One of the main attractions is the Yip Man Museum (Ye Wen) - Bruce Lee famous teacher. It was Yip Man who first began to teach Wing Chun style outside his clan. Before, every kung fu style belonged to family clans and teaching it to "strangers" was strictly forbidden. The museum is painstakingly decorated, with love for each of masters. The museum has many rare photos from teachers’ and their students' life.
The second master, who receives almost as much attention as Ip Manu, is Wong Fei Hong. He was a famous doctor in Foshan and taught the crane and tiger style (Hung Ga).
Of course, it is impossible to ignore the territory inside of temple: small colourful gardens, memorial plaques, and architectural masterpieces.
Business hours: 08:30-18:00 (Ticket office closes at 17:30)
Price: 20 RMB (adult), 10 RMB (children 1,2-1,5m)
LIon’s dance: 10:30 - 11:00, 14:15 - 14:45, 15:30 - 16:00
Wushu performance: 10:00 - 10:30, 15:00 - 15:30
Address: 佛山市禅城区祖庙路21号祖庙
Foshan Xiqiao Mountain National Forest Park (西樵山国家森林公园)
Xiqiao Mountain is one of the four most famous Guangdong mountains (Danxia / 丹霞山, Xiqiao / 西樵, Dinghu / 鼎湖山, / Lofu 罗浮 山). Xiqiao Mountain used to be a volcano that formed thousands of years ago, but it has long been silent, now the area around it has been turned into a national park.
A huge 61.9 meters statue of the goddess of mercy, Guan Yin, based on the top of the mountain. The goddess sits on a pedestal in the form of a lotus flower (36 meters in diameter). There is a 5-story Bodhisattva Museum inside the statue.
Price: from 53 RMB
Business hours: 08:00 - 17:30
Address: 广东省佛山市南海区校前路与碧桂街交叉口西南50米西樵山国家森林公园
Foshan Xiqiaoshan National Arts Studios (西樵山国艺影视城)
This film studio is one of the newest in China and was opened in 2015.
You’ll find Kowloon Walled City, the Imperial Palace, The Mansion, the public office - Yamen, the old streets of Hong Kong and Shanghai.
The equipment film base of this park is better than others in southern China. The film studio covers an area of 374,000 m2 and consists of a lake and many sets, including outdoor sets.
The studio actively collaborates with photographers and agencies and can present 13,000 m2 for creating unforgettable photoshoots and videos.
Price: 89 RMB
Business hours: 09:00-17:30
Address: 广东佛山南海区西樵环山路和山南路交汇处西樵山国艺影视城
Foshan Lingnan Tiandi (佛山岭南天地)
This place has preserved old houses, restored and refined them into a whole restaurant and pedestrian zone with a variety of cafes, restaurants and cosy shops. Despite the traditional architecture, the place is quite cosmopolitan.
More recommendations in our YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiZnk1MMDLs
Western cuisine: Paddy Field, Summer House, Three Drops.
Vietnamese and Thai: Nha Trang, Thai Alley
Coffee, tea, desserts: Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Nayuki, Godiva, Kaka Castle, Bonbons Hello Kitty Cafe, HoneyMoon Dessert (Chinese Style Sweets), CinCin Fresco (Frozen yoghurt), Haagen Dazs.
Japanese: HBK (Teppanyaki), Toriken
Chinese Hot Pot: Guo Shuo, Mun Gei Beef etc.
Tips: Visa/Mastercard or any other international cards are rarely can be used except for three Western restaurants. If you plan to try something new, withdraw some money first.
One warning - during Chinese national holidays it is extremely overcrowded and there is no parking for miles around. Didi, Uber, a bike or the Metro are the only sensible way to reach it.
And yes, this place is very similar to the Shanghai 新天地。
Address: 佛山市禅城区祖庙大街2号佛山岭南天地
Foshan Sanshui hot spring resort (三水芦苞温泉度假村)
The hot springs welcome customers in a gigantic lobby with an impressive carved painting on the back wall. You will find numerous pools with different temperatures and massage nozzles, a buffet, a beautiful and serene garden.
Business hours: 09:00 - 00:00
Price: 110 RMB and 158 RMB (buffet).
Address: 广东省佛山市三水区芦苞镇长歧村三水温泉度假村(长歧村旁)
Foshan is quite vast, but at the same time very cozy city where you can find not only furniture, but a lot of authentic Cantonese food, quiet beautiful parks, hot springs, mountains and of course to feel with what love the local population cares about preserving the historical heritage. A trip to Foshan for furniture, decor, sanitary ware, lighting can be a great opportunity to discover a new culture.